Frost and our Patio Pots

 It has been quite some years since we had such frost as this winter.

Maximum was –10°C or 14°F.

Our tropical exotics like this Clematis Armandii we long have lost to bitter winters...

You can see it here → (click link) {Our Clematis Armandii - Fragrant Blooms on Evergreen Vine}

In above picture was against our balcony on April 14, 1995.

That one died from frost...

Pieter had managed to save two starters. 

{My Green Sewing Creation} ←click for seeing more photos with its tropical blooms.

Those were the top years for our garden!

But the trees have grown bigger and our other shrubs and plants must compete...

Also we both aged and we opted more for Pot Plants on our Patio.

Also the more hardy ones so not every fall and spring they ought to be hauled in and out of our greenhouse.

On our patio, one pot plant is this Croton Yellow Mammy.

Croton

Croton plants have beautiful patterned leaves.

Crotons are pretty!

Some other pot plants on our patio.

Soon we will see what will be left from our patio pot plants...

Looking out of the bay window we see a lot of dead plants in the garden!

Hate that dreary look but in two months things will start anew.

Our NATIVITY and Angels from Italy

Christmas Once again...

So let me show you our hand carved wooden nativity scene with angels from South Tyrol, Italy. The birth of Jesus is the reason for the season... Our Saviour, who came into this world because of LOVE.

The wood carving is so meticulously done by the Italian craftsmen!

Love the angel holding a HEART; the universal symbol of Love...

At present we do have some Paperwhites blooming again. 

As well as fragrant Chimonanthus praecox (Calycanthus p.) (C. fragrans) which you see in the center of this Mandalay Chartreuse vase by Mason, together with Ilex decidua 'Finches Golden' a yellow berried Ilex. 

Last year we only had the yellow Ilex (holly berries) but this year there are plenty of red Ilex.

Do you have a special nativity scene in your home?

Wishing you a Merry Christmas with all your loved ones!

Related link:
{Our Garden's Winter Blooms for Christmas} my previous post about this Wintersweet flower...
Christie's Mandalay by Masons showing you the Mandalay by Mason, as is my vase above...

Precious Gift from Best Friend Ellie—Mouth Blown Glass Nativity

What is this season all about?

The Third Sunday of Advent is coming and all this leads up to CHRISTMAS the birth of our PRINCE OF PEACE.

Like to share with you a display of a beautiful nativity scene.

My dear friend Ellie gave it to me, the year we had our 25th wedding anniversary.

She for years volunteered at a Dutch 'Wereld Winkel' or Fair Trade shop.

Mouth blown glass with strokes of silver to mark hands, wings and halos. 

Baby Jesus in his manger... with an oxen to the left.

This is art work from the Andes.

Mary with her silver lined halo and the angel with silver lined wings and halo, besides their hands and some brush strokes of silver on the garment. Air bubbles are still visible...

I've placed it on a silk brocade tablecloth that Pieter did bring home from China when he went with the People to People Citizen Ambassador Program. 

See more info about the Ambassador Program at: {Silk Embroidered Birds from China Trip}.

That is a treasure of course and even more so, since Pieter got to see how they do make such silk brocade.

It is a handmade tradition of more than 2,000 years and originally only was for the emperor.

Watch this short video → Chinese brocade (Hello China #85)

Silk Brocade; fit for our PRINCE OF PEACE